MSED Elementary Portfolio Project

Tamara Hamilton
June 7, 2015

An Elementary Portfolio Project submitted to the

Faculty of the Graduate School of Education of
Medaille College
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science in Education

______________________________
Tamara Hamilton
Medaille College Graduate Student
______________________________
Mary Beth Scumaci
Clinical Associate Professor
Project Director

Table of Contents

Section One: Teacher Candidate Introduction to the Elementary Portfolio Project.. 3

Section Two: Teacher Candidate Background Experiences 12
Section Three: Teacher Candidate Artifacts... 40
Section Four: Alignment to Curriculum & Professional Standards 150
Section Five: Teacher Candidate Reflection ... 166
Section Six: Teacher Candidate Interview Video .171

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Section One:
Teacher Candidate Introduction to the Elementary Portfolio Project

Introduction to the Portfolio Project

Welcome to my Elementary Teacher Portfolio. I have created this portfolio so that
prospective employers such as yourselves can review it in order to gain a better understanding of
the knowledge I have acquired and the preparation and teaching methods I will utilize in a
classroom environment.

This portfolio project will showcase my pedagogy, best teaching,

practices, and ability to educate children through the ability to plan for, instruct, and assess student
learning in meaningful and engaging ways. There are six sections in this portfolio, the introduction,
background experience, artifacts, alignment to curriculum and professional standards, reflection
and interview video, all of which provide a well-rounded overview of my capabilities and beliefs
with respect to teaching. These 6 sections allow me to showcase my planning and instruction
capabilities through the display and analysis of unit and lesson plans. The lesson plans also include
outlines with respect to formative and summative assessments that I will be utilizing during my
teaching career. My knowledge of technology is evident through the inclusion of a screen shot
(and web address) of my Weebly website and the Screencast video created by me in sections three
and six of this portfolio. All lesson plans include provisions for learner accommodation and the
literacy assessment sample provides an example of how I would go about creating tests that
challenge students at all learning levels. The Field Trip report outlines a culturally responsive event
and allows you to see how I can take learning outside of the conventional classroom but still
maintain relevance to the curriculum standards. The research and survey on technology in the
classroom illustrates my willingness to seek answers to questions and to devote time and effort to

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obtaining those answers. My devotion to professional development is evident in my research on
the case study of the educational system in Singapore.
High moral standards and adherence to a strict code of conduct are required of me both in
a law office and inside of a classroom. My resume reflects my commitment to professional
development as you see the majority of my journey through the educational system occurred while
working full time as a law clerk. Throughout my 15 years as a law clerk I have taken professional
development courses on a regular basis in order to improve my knowledge and skills even though
my ultimate goal was to exit the profession. I did all of this while taking my undergraduate degree
quietly on the side. Time management was of the essence! I have now almost completed my
journey to a new, more rewarding profession and you can help me reach that final goal by
considering me for the teaching position that is currently available. Once in the classroom my goal
is to do whatever it takes to be an excellent teacher. I intend to learn as much as I can about how
to be a creative, interesting and competent teacher. My ultimate goal is that I make a positive
difference in every students life and that as a result I am always remembered in a positive manner
at some point in their lives after they graduate from my class.

Portfolio Overview, Rationale and Development

Section One, Teacher Candidate Introduction to the Elementary Portfolio Project,
of this portfolio provides an overview of the background of the project highlighting educational
theorists, experts, and theories that I believe are relevant and important in the educational system
today. John Lockes Blank Slate theory (tabula rasa) will be addressed with his belief that most
children begin life with a blank mind and acquire knowledge with age and experiences. B.F.
Skinner and his theory of Operant Conditioning will be discussed along with its relevance to the

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educational system today. Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi and his concept of inclusion will be
discussed because inclusion is so important in classrooms today. These theories are important to
the educational system today as well as in the past and some of their ideas will be implemented
and utilized in my classroom to make it a more effective learning environment for all types of
students. Some students respond well to a reward based environment and others learn better when
helping teach their fellow struggling classmates. I intend to incorporate different perspectives in
my classroom, and I intend to change them yearly to fit the students I am teaching at the time. One
method may work for students one year while another will be more beneficial for the new students
the following year.
Section two, Teacher Candidate Background Experiences, will provide information on the
teaching candidates background experiences through both work and school. School observations,
classroom applications and lesson reflections will be addressed here. My philosophy of education
will be included and discussed within this section as well as my curriculum vitae. Perspectives on
the curriculum, learning, learner assessment and classroom management will be provided. A wellrounded history of the candidate and their life experiences will be found within this section. It is
here that you will begin to know me personally and professionally as you witness my journey into
the teaching profession through my resume and experiences. Some of the best teachers are those
who have spent time in other professions and realize that teaching is a privilege and an honor that
should not be taken for granted. Spending time as a law clerk has perfected my literacy and writing
skills and has given me a wider perspective on safety, prevention and propriety as a method of
preventing problems and ultimately litigation.
Section three, Teacher Candidate Artifacts, will provide sample artifacts prepared by the
teaching candidate. A Website created for the classroom will be included to showcase activities

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and events for the year. Parents, students and the general public will be able to access the website
for information throughout the school year. Unit and lesson plans will be found in this section so
that you can assess the candidates level of understanding with respect to planning, instruction and
assessment. A field trip report will also be enclosed to highlight my ability to create lessons held
outside of the classroom environment but still relevant to the curriculum standards. These artifacts
were chosen to highlight my classroom management, planning, instruction and assessment
techniques. This will give you a well-rounded view of how my classroom would be run on a daily
basis and of the different techniques I intend to incorporate into lessons to make them interesting
for the students. My knowledge of technology will also be evident as will my interest in making
it a regular part of the classroom instruction. Children today are mesmerized by technology. Using
classroom computers or iPads to do math problems in game format will capture the attention of
those students who would otherwise remain non-engaged. By making learning fun you take away
the work involved in it so students are more likely to participate!
Section four, Alignment to the Curriculum and Professional Standards, will provide you
with an overview of the chosen artifacts connection or compliance with both the New York State
and Ontario Curricula and the Professional Standards that all teachers are expected to abide by.
Here I will explain how my artifacts and teaching methods align with the Standards and how
maintaining these standards will create a healthy learning environment for students. INTASC
standards provide suggestions for more personalized learning for each student, a stronger focus on
knowledge and skills, increased literacy learning and improved methods of assessment, increased
professional collaboration, and the aim for increased leadership roles for teachers and
administrators to improve the students learning environment. The more eyes you have on

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students, the more likely you are to recognize where they struggle and be able to recruit the help
necessary to advance their learning.
The New York State Code of Ethics, although not pertinent in Canada, will show you that
we were trained to uphold ourselves to the same standards with respect to conduct and propriety
that Ontario demands of its teachers.
Lesson plan and instruction compliance with the New York State P-12 Common Core
Learning Standards will show that as a teacher I am capable of reading the curriculum and applying
it efficiently and effectively in my classroom. Each lesson plan also contains reference to the
relevant section of the Ontario Curriculum so that you are aware that I am knowledgeable in both
New York State and Ontario curriculum standards.
TEAC, the Teacher Education Accreditation Council, is a non-profit organization
dedicated to improve academic degree programs for professional educators. It is recognized by
the U.S. Department of Education and Council for Higher Education Accreditation and provides
evidence that this Masters program from which I have graduated is highly respected and
recognized as a program which produces highly respected and well educated teachers. It is further
proof that I will be a highly qualified, effective teacher.
Connections to ISTE standards will be made to provide evidence that curricular goals can
be met and learning enhanced by the integration of technology into classrooms. I am a firm believer
that students need to be well versed in the latest technology when entering the workforce. As a
teacher it is our duty to prepare students to the best of our abilities to be successful in both the
workforce and their professional lives. Simple use of technology such as learning to bank online
makes for more effective time management in students everyday lives once they graduate and are
on their own. Learning to use all available and pertinent forms of technology will make them

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stronger candidates for future employment and will assist them with their everyday lives regardless
of whether they end up being a farmer, mechanic or CEO.
The CEC, Council for Exceptional Children, is dedicated to improving the educational
success of students with disabilities and/or gifts or talents. Connections are made throughout my
lesson plans to handling of disabled students in my classroom. I think it is important to make note
of handling of lessons with respect to special needs students so if a supply teacher is ever called in
they are well informed and prepared to handle these students appropriately. Every student has
something special to bring to the classroom and my goal will be to ensure special needs students
are included and activities are adapted accordingly so that they can participate fully in the
classroom.
Section five, Teacher Candidate Reflection, will showcase a reflection of the experiences
I have had and how they have impacted my philosophy of education and my teaching style as well
as my experience and lessons learned in developing this portfolio project. This section will
demonstrate how my experiences both inside and outside the classroom have shaped my
techniques so that they are teaching practices that meet the needs of todays diverse learners. I
will provide evidence that I am a caring educator who is well educated in all subject matter that is
to be taught, as well as an individual who has many talents of her own which will benefit the
students in my future classroom. I will highlight my ideas for effective classroom management,
showcase my new understanding of technology and its effectiveness in the classroom, something
to which I was ignorant prior to my education at Medaille.
Section six, Teacher Candidate Teacher Interview Video, will give you the opportunity to
actually see me and hear me! Attached within my Weebly webpage, which can be found at
http://misshamilton2015.weebly.com is a video clip enabling me to introduce to you artifacts

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created by me which helped define my philosophy of education and which showcase my
knowledge of the Standards and Curriculum. During this section of the project, I will create a
video using the Screencast-o-Matic screen capture software. I will create a video recording of
myself answering potential teacher interview questions while showcasing my work on my teacher
website. One of my favourite items on the website is the song embedded in the Open House flyer
on the home page of the Weebly website. The song Glorious is beautifully sung by a childrens
choir and it promotes diversity and working together in harmony something I hope to encourage
in my classroom every year.
Visual representation provides an extra insight with respect to my public speaking
capabilities. The video showcases my public speaking skills and also provides visual insight into
my portfolio including my artifacts. It provides a well-organized visual outline of my capabilities
as a teacher and also allows you to see that I am a caring, responsible and respectable individual
who takes pride in portraying a professional demeanor at all times.

Theorists and Experts in the Field of Education

John Locke was very influential in the field of education, leaving a legacy that is still felt
today. Mr. Lockes Essay concerning Human Understanding outlined his belief that the human
mind begins as a tabula rasa, a blank slate on top of which knowledge accumulates as we learn
from our experiences (Locke, 2014). He wanted people to have the freedom to do and say what
they felt. Many of the freedoms we enjoy in the Western world today are as a result of John
Locke (An Essay, 2014). Locke did not see the need for rote memorization instead he felt that
children should be given the opportunity to learn practical knowledge and to learn through
engagement (John Locke, 2010). I believe that teachers often rely too much on rote
memorization and although it can be beneficial in some instances, I too believe that the emphasis

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should be on learning through engagement and practical knowledge. Speaking from personal
experience as a graduate with a Biology Major, things that are memorized for exams are
forgotten whereas labs that are completed with practical experience are more easily remembered
and are normally retained for life. Lockes philosophy of Epistemic Liberty where the education
provided should involve morals and academics to educate the child as a whole is one that I
completely agree with. Morals seem to have escaped the education system today and need to be
encouraged to facilitate the creation of contributing team oriented adults. Understanding the
aptitudes and limitations of the human mind will garner tolerance in society and provide both
citizens and governments with the tools to create a better learning experience and better prepared
future citizens and taxpayers.
B.F. Skinners theory of operant conditioning is where what happened to the animal after
it behaved in a certain way was the critical determinant of its later behavior. I believe this will
be quite effective for some students, especially the more difficult ones. Skinner found that
positive feedback along with a reward usually provided a deeper learning experience and more
effective change than negative feedback or punishment (McConnell, 1974). Behavior can be
successfully modified by applying the principles of operant learning.
I believe as Johan H. Pestalozzi does that all students should be encouraged to excel to
the best of their abilities and in order to achieve this students must be educated according to their
individual needs. The curriculum needs to be manipulated to accommodate each individual
student so that each and every student has the chance to excel to the best of their abilities.
Research is important in the field of education as it aids in the creation of new concepts
and ideas which benefit students. Researchers develop theories that when applied in the
classroom result in more effective and efficient lessons which benefit learners. As educators it is

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important that we continuously strive to do better. We must revamp lessons to include new
concepts and theories because they have been proven to improve students retention and
learning. Ongoing research in the field of education ensures that teachers have the opportunity to
improve continuously which makes for more effective lessons and more engaged students. We
are only able to teach what we know so it is important that we continuously strive to learn more.
We must also try to pass on this love of learning to our students. In todays society regardless of
what career choice you make, you will be required to participate in continuing education.
Computer programs change, factory machines are upgraded, and more effective methods of
teaching are discovered so it is necessary to participate in continuing education. Without
continuous learning you will fall behind the majority of the population and therefore be less
valuable to any employer and we do not want that for our educators or students!
Conclusion
Teaching is a difficult task today with such a huge diversity in learners and learning
abilities. Every child should be given the opportunity to learn to the best of their abilities.
Regardless of whether students are intrinsically or extrinsically motivated, all teachers must
create lessons that cater to that diverse learning environment. If students are taught tolerance and
respect along with academia the future of society will look a lot brighter. Acknowledgement of
new theories and application of researchers ideas in the classroom will benefit everyone. This
portfolio will provide you with a well-rounded view of my competence and capabilities with
respect to teaching so please read onwards!